The present invention relates to a process to remove certain metals from crude oil. In particular, the metal is calcium.
Calcium present in crudes can lead to fouling of heaters and heat exchangers and poison catalysts used in crude processing. Therefore, Ca-rich crudes are less valuable than crudes with low Ca. A process for Ca removal enables the increase of the value of such crudes. This invention is particularly valuable when a Ca-rich crude is processed in a corrosion-resistant environment, where the increase in acidity accompanying the process of the present invention is not a drawback.